2007 PINOT NOIR: SYMPOSIUM Fort Ross Vineyard, Sonoma Coast - Limited

Wine Specs

Vintage

2007

Varietal

Pinot Noir

Appellation

Sonoma Coast

Harvest Date

September 28 - October 9, 2007

Acid

.56g/100ml

Aging

9 months

Bottling Date

June 27, 2008

Alcohol %

14.2

Wine Enthusiast

93

Aromas of dark fruits and black tea with a hint of sage perfectly introduce the black cherry and raspberry to the palate. Symposium is 96% Pinot Noir blended with just 4% Pinotage, adding subtle notes of spice and earthy bramble. While ready to drink now, we believe this will continue to evolve. Please allow this wine to breathe.

93 Points - WINE ENTHUSIAST - October 2011 Issue
Held back for nearly four years, this Pinot still brims with acidity. Tartness is the shock that precedes columns of raspberries, cherries, pomegranates, persimmons and cola, bearing banners of exotic spices. A precise, intellectually pure wine, it should be decanted now, and will develop interestingly over the years. Editors’ Choice. —S.H.

The grapes for this Pinot Noir were handpicked during the cool hours of the night in 5 gallon buckets. After hand sorting, the fruit was destemmed and cold soaked for several days and fermented in a combination of 5 and 10 ton tanks. The caps were punched down 1 or 2 times per day, depending on the stage of the fermentation. The wines were then barreled in a combination of 25% new and 75% used French oak. Throughout the 9 months of barrel aging, the clones and different vineyard blocks were kept separate to maintain their distinct flavor profiles and structural components as blending elements. The wine was bottled unfiltered. After extensive blending trials we decided on 96% Pinot Noir and 4% Pinotage.

Other Notes

2007 was a long, cool growing season, providing the ideal conditions for berry development. Our proximity to the ocean and its cooling effects saved us from a heat spike that affected inland areas much more severely. All Pinot Noir blocks were picked mid-September through the beginning of October, based on optimal physiological ripeness. The vines were balanced, the yields were small, and the concentration of flavor was excellent this year.